Where did the summer go? As I get older and the responsibilities continue to grow, I yearn for those carefree days before school started spent playing, going to the beach, shopping, reading and generally doing nothing. Do you even remember the last day you did nothing? I don't think most moms do, especially moms of two-year-olds (read below). To help make this last month of summer special, we have lots of fantastic things planned at Java Mama. We are continuing with our Friday Disco Parties, which are free and lots of fun for everyone and have two great character dinners planned...A Western Hoedown (August 15th @ 6:30pm) and A Treasure Hunt with Dora and Diego (August 29th @ 6:30pm) The Dora dinner is almost full, so please reserve your space soon.

This month, we are also introducing a bunch of new classes to our calendar...Hip Hop by Lil Arts, Kinderdance (ballet and tap for ages 4-6) and Kindertots (dance and movement for under 4). For moms, we are excited to offer a new abs and toning class taught by Strollerstrides and the return of prenatal yoga on Monday evenings. We also continue with our wonderful classes such as Toddler's Tango, Spanish for Preschoolers, Preshchooler's Yoga, Messy Art, Kindermusik Baby Sign Language and Stretch and Grow! Please check our online calendar for dates and times.

On Wednesday, August 6th at 10am, we are excited to welcome Paradise the Clown for storytime. Paradise will read stories and end with face painting and balloons. This event is free!

Thank you to everyone who entered our Summer Photography Contest. The entries are beautiful! We will be announcing the winners shortly.

Finally, check out these Summer specials from our newest sponsor, Sylvia Borgo Photography:

1. Mini "Sweet Deal" Package - Sylvia Borgo Photography will be taking appointments on a first-come, first served basis on Saturday, August 30. You will receive a 25 minute photo session at a La Jolla beach location, 5-10 images from the session, and permission to reproduce all images. Some images will be in color and some images will be in black & white. The price for this "Sweet Deal" is $50 and covers up to four people. Add $25 for each extra family member. Please visit sylviaborgo.com for more details.
   
   
2. 25% Discount to all Java Mama customers. Hurry and book your 2008 photo session! Do you want to capture summer memories or celebrate the birth of a little one? Do you want to make sure you have the perfect picture for your holiday card this year? If you book before August 31, 2008, you can get a 25% discount on all print packages from Sylvia Borgo Photography. Your photo session does NOT need to take place before August 31st - this offer is valid for all sessions that take place between August 1, 2008 through December 20, 2008. Please visit sylviaborgo.com for more information on print packages. To get this discount and book a session, please contact Sylvia Borgo directly at sylviaborgo@yahoo.com and mention coupon code "Java Mama."

The T_ _ _ _ _ _ _ Two's
by Java Mama Owner Alicia Campen

Yoga class -- three days ago

As I attempt to force the thoughts swirling around in my Type A brain to stop thinking, my mind continues to drift to the things that make me need yoga so badly....my family, my business, the weird spots on my arms that weren't there before (are they age spots?), etc. I am usually able to push the thoughts aside like a good yoga student but tonight I am having a hard time getting one out of my head...Max. My beautiful, chubby little bundle of boy who is quickly approaching his 2nd birthday. That day he had decided to open up packs of markers at Staples while I was picking out ink. When I turned around he had drawn in red all over the floor, the display and his face so that he looked like he had dried blood all over his mouth and cheeks. Luckily, the cashier helping me was understanding but I still got those "can't you control your own child" look from an older woman behind me in line. I then got a call from Java Mama that we were out of some essentials so I dragged my cleaned up but now slightly pink child to the store where he decided that big cans of soup do not belong on the shelf but in a pyramid formation on top of the eggs and that the bags of doritoes on display were way too puffy and needed deflating by being crushed to his chest and then thrown in my cart. How such a small being can do so much damage in the one second your back is turned, is beyond me. Once I finally got him and my supplies to the car, he did what he has done consistently for three weeks now, scream and flail and make his body as stiff as a board when I try to get him to sit in his carseat. I remember his older sister doing that but she was more easily distracted. I swear people around me must think I am killing him as I try to wrestle his chubby arms through the 5-point harness.

As these fond memories of the day flood through my head in the yoga class that my husband has begged me to go to relax, I continue to ponder the age of two. Is being the parent of a two-year-old some kind of punishment? Did I have too much fun in college? Not pay my taxes on time? Is this payback for taking my clothes off when I was two and running naked when the priest from the church where my mom played the organ came to our house to visit? Is this the ultimate life challenge and if I make it through this I can make it through anything? The thing is I already made it through this stage and decided to do it again! Are our memories secretly suppressed by Mother Nature so that we'll have more children? Kind of like childbirth, the two's if remembered in full detail by a mother of one would never even think of having children again.

As I finally stop thinking and remember to not drink so much espresso before yoga, I finally relax. That night as I am changing Max's diaper, I look down at him and smile, he smiles back and opens and closes his hands to me meaning "I want". I lean closer and he gives me the biggest, sweetest hug he has ever given me. Is this Mother Nature trying to erase my memories or the blessings of a terrific, terrible, trying two-year-old. ;-)